The Psychologisation of Society: On the Unfolding of the Therapeutic in Norway

Ole Jacob Madsen

Summary

Psychology creeps into everyday life like never before. Nature has become a source of mental health. The market economy is ultimately driven by psychology. The belief in God is no longer mainly a question of salvation, but about health. Theological notions like ‘sin’ and ‘evil’ are swapped for psychiatric diagnosis. Morals are increasingly influenced by a therapeutic rationale. Madsen's book shows that Norway, like the United States and Great Britain, is currently subjugated to a psychological worldview: the therapeutic ethos. Yet, by examining dissimilar spheres like media, law, religion, self-help literature and cosmetic surgery documents the current unfolding of the therapeutic in Norway, which blends in with regional norms and values, rather than simply «triumphs» over them. Nonetheless, this cultural influence is of paramount importance, for instance for the person's outlook on the world, where psychology naturally invites to individual explanations and solutions. Psychology’s imprint on Western countries like Norway is ultimately ambiguous: the global democratization of self-care, happiness and self-esteem, means that everyone is invited, but there may be no one to turn off the lights, as the struggle for being the ‘best version of yourself’ knowns no boundaries or end.